§ Mr. Nealeasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek powers to require that slate used for roofing works for which grant is payable complies with BSS 680; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir George YoungDecisions about the materials to be used where home improvement grants are given for local authorities to take, in the light of the circumstances of individual cases and the need to ensure value for money.
§ Mr. Nealeasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much slate was used by the Property Services Agency last year; of this how much was (a) of Cornish origin, (b) of Welsh origin and (c) of imported origin; and if he will break down the latter category by country.
§ Sir George YoungPSA design staff and its consultants, when selecting slate as the roofing material for a project, are required to specify that it should be in accordance with BS680 and to consult the quarry it is proposed to use. Responsibility for procuring the slates rests with the selected contractor who may use an alternative source subject to satisfying the agency that they meet all the requirements.
No information is available, however, on the number of projects for which slate was selected and this, and the other information requested, could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.